Caisson and limber.



L. N. D. MIXSELL & C. J. JULSTEDT.

GAISSON AND LIMBER. APPLICATION FILED IAN. 4. 1915.

1 1 61 ,784. Patented Nov. 23,1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET I.

. I I L flan/(Z07 Y W mun-IA PLANOORAI H c0-. WnsmmflNJiL m. QRDNAE Fmld.

L. N. D. MIXSELL & C. J. JULSTEDT.

CAISSON AND LIMBER.

APPLICATION FILED lAN.'4. I915.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANoanAm-x c0..WAsl-I|NOTON, D. c,

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

CAISSON AND LIMBER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. I915.

L. N. D. MIXSELL & C. J. JULSTEDT.

1 Ti Ti COLUMBIA PMNOIJRAPH co.,wAsI-IINLI'roN, D. c.

8Q. QRDNANUEQ Mounts,

Fiemn L. N. D. MIXSELL & C. J. JULSTEDT.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4:

COLUIIIA mnoanvn :o.,wnmm1on. D. c.

L. N. D. MIXSELL 6; C. J. JULSTEDT.

CAISSON AND LIMBER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 4. 1915.

1,161,784, Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 5- PLANOGIAPH co., VIASHIMTDN, D c.

Ural): A: was,

Mounts,

Field UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEIGHTON N. D. MIXSELL AND CLAS J. JULSTEDT, 0F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA,

ASSIGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COMPANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYL- VANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

CAISSON AND LIMBER.

Application filed January 4, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LEIGHTON N. D. MIXSELL and Gus J. JULsrEDr, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Bethlehem, Northampton county, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Caissons and Limbers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to limbers and caissons and has for one of its objects the improvement of the construction so as to permit ammunition of different kinds and lengths to be carried in the same chest.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for securing the chest to the wagon frame.

A further object is to provide a caisson having the parts so arranged as to permit it to be prepared for action with the greatest facility.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a limber with a caisson attached thereto; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the caisson; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragment of Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is an enlarged front elevation of the ammunition chest with parts broken away to show the interior construction; Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 77 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail section showing the means for attaching the ammunition chest bolts to the frame; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary detail section.

Referring to the drawings, 10 indicates the limber and 11 the caisson. The limber and the caisson carry ammunition chests and it is customary to attach the caisson to the rear of the limber as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and to attach horses to the limber for the purpose of transporting the limber and caisson.

From the drawings, it will be seen that the limber and caisson when connected together constitute a four-wheel vehicle and since the caisson is in the rear it is customary to provide brakes 13 for the caisson Wheels, these brakes being actuated by means of a lever 14. The caisson is the more important of the two, because it carries a greater amount of ammunition and because,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 462.

when in action, it is arranged abreast of the gun, which it serves, while the limber is placed in the rear. The caisson is provided with a pole 15 which is secured in a suitable socket member 16 and the limber is provided with a pole 17 to which the horses may be attached and which is secured in a socket member 18. There is also provision made for hauling the limber, by men, by means of handles 17 attached to the pole. The socket members 16 and 18 are preferably of similar construction so that in case it becomes necessary the pole 17 may be removed from the socket member 18 and substituted in place of the pole 15 to permit the caisson to be drawn directly by the horses. The pole 15 is connected with an extension 19 at the rear of the limber in any suitable manner and since such connections are well, known a detail description thereof is not essential. The socket member 18 carries the usual connections for the double-tree 20 and in order to permit the horses to be attached directly to the caisson the socket member 16 is also provided with a connection 21 for the double-tree 20.

To the limber frame is attached an ammunition chest 22 and to the caisson frame there is attached an ammunition chest 23, these chests being alike in general construction but, since the caisson is placed abreast of the gun when the gun is being fired, the caisson is provided with armored shields. These shields provide protection for the men, handling the ammunition, to a height above their heads and practically down to the ground.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the rear wall 24 of the chest is pivoted along its upper edge as indicated at 25 and adapted to be swung upwardly to the dotted position. The rear wall 24 thus constitutes a door for the rear of the chest and this door is secured in closed position by'latches of any suitable construction. The latches shown in the drawings consist of rods 26 which are pivotally supported at 27 and are provided with fingers 28 which engage the door. The rods 26 are also provided with arms 29 which are secured in the position shown in Fig. 3 by nuts 80 having handles 31 by means of which they may be conveniently turned.

In order to support the door 24 in the up- Ma UBlUQlUu-Q wardly inclined position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, arms 32 are pivoted at the points 33 on the side edges of the door, the opposite ends of these arms carrying pins 34 which are slidable in slots 35 provided in members 36 secured on the end walls of the chest. The slots 35 have laterally offset portions 37 at the rearward ends thereof into which the pins 34 are adapted to drop and thus hold the door 24 in the elevated position.

A shield 38 is pivoted to the frame of the caisson at 39 and is adapted to swing from the folded position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to the dotted position in which it hangs vertically from the frame. This shield thus extends from the frame nearly to the ground, when in operative position, and the frame of the caisson and the ammunition chest protect the space between the shield 38 and the door 24.

A bracket 40 for the usual fuse-setter is pivoted to the frame of the caisson at 41 and when the caisson is being transported this bracket occupies the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 in which position it is supported by the shield 38, the latter being supported by chains 43. In order to prevent chattering between the bracket 40 and the shield 38, latches 44 are provided, these latches being carried by the shield and engaging a cross bar 42 on the bracket 40, as shown in Fig. 4.

As soon as the caisson is in position alongside of the gun, the shield 38 is unhooked and permitted to drop forward to the dotted line position of Fig. 4, and the fuse-setter bracket is also released and permitted to take its lower position, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, in which position it is supported by the chains 45. In order to permit the caisson to be quickly and conveniently made ready for service, a casing 46 for the fusesetter is secured on the exterior of the door 24 directly above the fuse-setter bracket and when the caisson is being made ready for action the fuse-setter is taken from the casing 46 and dropped into the tongued seats 47 by means of which it is secured to the bracket 40. It will be observed that the seats 47 are in tapered relation so that it is only necessary to slip the fuse-setter into the seats and it will then be retained there by its own weight.

It has been customary heretofore to attach ammunition chests to the vehicle frames by rivets which extend through the bottoms of the chests. This arrangement is not satisfactory, however, because of the thin walls of the chest which permit the rivets to pull out when the vehicles are driven over very rough roads. In order to provide a more substantial securing means for the chest it is advisable to secure the top as well as the bottom walls.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the chest rests on channel members 48 of the frame, these channel members being carried on the axle 49 and having secured thereto the bent channel members 50 which pass beneath the axle and are bent upwardly in the front and the rear thereof. Bolts 51 preferably of rectangular cross-section extend upwardly through the ammunition chest and are provided with heads 52 which engage relatively large washers 53 on the upper wall of the chest. These bolts, as shown in Fig. 8, are shouldered adjacent the bottom wall 54 of the chest and engage large washers 55 on said wall for the purpose of securely clamping this wall to the channel member 48. Below the channel members 48 the bolts 51 are provided with eyes and secured, by pins 56, to eye-bolts 57, which extend through the channel members 50 and are secured to brackets 58 by means of nuts 59. This provides a. very substantial securing means for the ammunition chests and the washers may be made sufliciently large to prevent any possibility of the thin plates forming the top and bottom walls of the chest from tearing away from the bolts 51 in the manner in which they tear away from the rivets generally used.

For reasons to be hereinafter described, we prefer to so attach the front wall 60 of the chest that it may be removed when desired. The manner of attaching this wall may be such that it may be readily removed or swung to an open position, or a semi-permanent attaching means may be provided. In the drawings, the manner of attachment of the front wall or plate 60 consists of hinges 61 at the lower edge of the plate and a series of rivets 62 secured to the plate adjacent its upper edge and adapted to enter openings in the angle-iron 63 which extends along the upper front corner of the chest. The hinges 61 include brackets 64 secured .to the bottom wall of the chest, brackets 65 secured to the front wall and pins 66 which connect these brackets and also eye-bolts 67 which extend downwardly through the frame and are secured to brackets 68 on the channel members 50 by means of nuts 69. The upper part of the plate 60 is secured to the chest by a suitable number of latches of any preferred construction. As shown, these latches comprise hasps 70 and pivoted keepers 70.

As a rule, the ammunition used in field guns is of the same length forward of the rifling bands, despite the different character of the projectiles used. This is not always true, however, and the caissons and limbers, which are shown in the drawings, are made especially for carrying fixed ammunition of different lengths forward of the rifling bands. A round of fixed ammunition consists of a brass cartridge case, carrying the 3: iizxtruiituatam URDNANGE, v :-5-

.liifonnts,

Field.

propelling powder, and a projectile inserted into the cartridge case in front of the powder. In order to facilitate handling the ammunition, it is desirable to have the chest so arranged that the ammunition lies in a horizontal position and when the wagons are moved over rough roads there is a disposition for projectiles to work themselves loose in cartridge cases. For this reason, the ammunition chests must have suitable means for supporting the ammunition at several points and it is also necessary to have means at the points of the projectiles to prevent them from working forward out of the cartridge cases in the event that they have been loosened. It is desirable to support the projectiles at the bourrelets and since, in the case of ammunition of different lengths, the bourrelets will be located in different positions, it is necessary to have a relatively long support at the bourrelet of the projectiles. It is also necessary to provide movable front stops which may be adjusted to engage the points of the projectiles of different lengths.

Referring to Fig. 6, it will be seen that there is provided two fixed diaphragms 71 and 7 2 having flanges 73 which may be riveted or spot-welded to the walls of the chest and which are provided with alined openings surrounded by flanges 74. Metallic tubes 75 are secured in said openings by having their ends turned over the flanges 7 as shown at 76, and in order to lighten the construction, these tubular members have their upper parts cut away as shown at 77, between the diaphragms 71 and 7 2. By having comparatively long tubular members 75, the introduction of the ammunition into the chest and its removal therefrom is greatly facilitated and these tubular members serve as protectors for the cartridge cases.

In order to provide for supporting the projectiles at the bourrelets thereof, diaphragms 78 and 79 are secured in the chest and these diaphragms have alined openings in which are secured the sheet metal bushings 80 which have their ends turned so as to hold the bushings against axial movement. It will be observed that the bushings 80 are of such length that they provide means for supporting the bourrelets of projectiles of different lengths. There is indicated in Fig. 6, in dotted lines, a projectile in position in the chest.

In order to permit ammunition of different lengths to be carried in the same chest it is desirable to provide independently adjustable stop plates which are adapted to engage the points of the projectiles. In the drawings, the caisson is shown as provided with two such stop plates 81. These stop plates are preferably flanged along their edges as indicated at 82 and are cupped or recessed at 83 in line with the axes of the projectiles. Each of the plates 81 is movable to and from the diaphragm 78, and for the purpose of thus moving these plates and securing them in any desired position screws 84 are provided, it being preferable to have four of these screws for each plate. The screws 8 L are secured against aXial movement in tubular members 85, which are supported by the diaphragms 78 and 79, by means of shoulders 86, and nuts 87, which are pinned to the bolts. By this construction, the screws are free to turn in the members 85 but are held against axial movement and, on account of engaging the threaded bushings 88 which are secured in the plates 81, the plates will be moved to and from the diaphragm 78 by turning the screws. For the purpose of permitting the screws to be turned they are provided with squared heads 89 to receive a wrench.

On account of the necessity for keeping the weight of the caisson down to the minimum consistent with the requirements for strength and durability, it is preferable to have the screws 84 adjustable from the front of the chest and in order to permit access to be had to the heads 89 of the screws, the front plate 60 is made removable. The adjustment of the plates 81 may be made at the advance depot or other station where the caissons and the ammunition are issued to the troops or it may be done in the field. In charging the chests with ammunition, the difierent kinds are so grouped together that each of the plates 81 will be engaged by ammunition of the same length, and therefore the plates are made independently adjustable to suit the ammunition. In this way, it is possible to carry any kind of ammunition, which may be required, in the chest.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. The combination of a limber, a caisson, each having similar pole receiving members, connections on said members for double trees, a pole adapted to be secured in either of said members and normally arranged in the member on the limber, a pole normally secured in the one of said members that is on said caisson, and connecting means between the latter pole and the rear of the limber.

2. The combination of an ammunition wagon, an ammunition chest carried thereby, a shield pivotally mounted below said tom thereof and having means cooperating with the top and bottom walls of the chest to secure the said walls to the frame independently.

I l. The combination of an ammunition wagon having a frame, an ammunition chest carried on said frame, reinforcing members arranged on the interior of the bottom wall, and the exterior of the top wall of said chest, and bolts extending through the chest and said members and separately clamping the members against the top and bottom walls and thereby securing the chest to said frame.

5. The combination of an ammunition wagon having a frame, an ammunition chest carried by said frame, and a plurality of bolts extending vertically through said chest from the top to the bottom thereof and having means cooperating with the top and bottom walls of the chest to secure said walls independently to the frame, said bolts being of rectangular cross section on the interior of the chest 6. The combination of an ammunition wagon having a frame, an ammunition chest carried on said frame, bolts connected with the front wall of said chest for securing the same to the frame, and bolts extending ver tically through the chest and having means cooperating with the top and bottom walls of the chest to secure said walls independently tothe frame.

7. An ammunition chest having a door hinged at the rear thereof, ammunition sup porting means permitting the ammunition to be removed at the rear of the chest, adjustable means adjacent the front wall of the chest and adapted to engage the ammunition to prevent axial movement thereof in the direction of the points of the projectiles, and a detachable front wall for the chest permitting access to said adjustable means.

8. An ammunition chest having a door hinged at the rear thereof, ammunition supporting means within the chest and permitting the ammunition to be removed at the rear thereof, independently adjustable means adapted to engage the projectiles and prevent axial movement thereof, and a detachable front wall permitting access to said adjustable means.

9. An ammunition chest having a door hinged at the rear thereof, means within the chest for supporting ammunition in a horizontal position with the points of the projectiles toward the forward wall of the chest, independent means adapted to engage the points of the projectiles to prevent movement of the ammunition in a forward direction, and means at the front of the chest for adjusting said independent means.

10. An ammunition chest for carrying ammunition of different lengths forward of the rifling bands of the projectile having one or more diaphragms for supporting that part of the ammunition in the rear of the rifling bands, means having relatively long seats extending in the direction of the axes of the projectiles for supporting the projectiles at their bourrelets, and an adjustable stop plate for preventing the projectiles from moving axially in the direction of their points while being carried in the chest.

11. An ammunition chest for carrying ammunition of different lengths forward of the rifling bands of the projectiles having one or more diaphragms for supporting that part of the ammunition to the rear of the rifiing bands, and an adjustable stop plate engaging the points of the projectiles and preventing forward axial movement thereof.

12. An ammunition chest having two fixed diaphragms therein provided with alined openings, tubular ammunition supporting members secured in said alined openings, and a diaphragm adapted to engage the points of the projectiles and adjustable in the direction of the axes of the projectiles.

13. An ammunition chest having two fixed diaphragms therein provided with alined openings, tubular ammunition supporting members secured in said alined openings, a diaphragm having depressions adapted to receive the points of the projectiles and hold the ammunition against forward movement, and means for adjusting said diaphragm in the direction of the axes of the ammunition.

14. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, means for supporting the projectile at the bourrelet thereof, and an adjustable member adapted to engage the point of the projectile and hold the ammunition against forward movement.

15. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, a pair of fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said alined openings and adapted to support the bourrelets of the projectiles of the ammunition. and adjustable means for engaging the points of the projectiles to hold the ammunition against forward movement.

16. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, a pair of fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said alined openings and adapted to support the bourrelets of the pro-- jectiles of the ammunition, one or more screws secured to said diaphragms, and an adjustable member engaged by said screws and movable thereby to engage the points of proj ctiles of different lengths.

17. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the amw, UHJUJN $3.3M uaas Mounts,

Fields munition, a pair of fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said alined openings and adapted to support the bourrelets of the projectiles of the ammunition, a movable diaphragm arranged forward of said fixed diaphragms, and having recesses in alinement with said tubular members and adapted to receive the points of the projectiles of the ammunition, one or more screws secured to said fixed diaphragms and engaging said movable diaphragm for the purpose of ad justing the latter to engage the points of projectiles of different lengths.

18. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said openings and adapted to support the projectiles of the ammunition, and a plurality of independently adjustable diaphragms adapted to engage the points of the projectiles to prevent forward movement thereof.

19. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said openings and adapted to support the projectiles of the ammunition, and a plurality of independently adjustable diaphragms having recesses in alinement with said tubular members and adapted to engage the points of the projectiles to prevent forward movement thereof. 7

20. An ammunition chest having means for supporting the cartridge case of the ammunition, fixed diaphragms having alined openings therein, tubular members secured in said openings and adapted to support the projectiles of the ammunition, a plurality of independently movable diaphragms adapted to engage the points of the projectiles to prevent forward movement thereof, and screws secured against axial movement and having engagement with said movable diaphragms and whereby the latter may be independently adjusted.

21. The combination of an ammunition wagon frame, an ammunition chest for carrying ammunition of different lengths, aflixed thereto, one or more diaphragms for supporting that part of the ammunition to the rear of the rifiing bands for the projectiles, means having relatively long seats for supporting the projectiles at the bourrelet thereof, and an adjustable stop plate for the purpose of preventing the projectiles from moving axially in the direction of their points.

22. The combination of an ammunition wagon frame, an ammunition chest, for carrying ammunition of difierent lengths, affixed thereto, one or more diaphragms for supporting that part of the ammunition to the rear of the rifling bands of the projectiles, means for supporting the projectiles of the ammunition at the bourrelet thereof, and independently adjustable stop plates for engaging the points of the projectiles to prevent forward movement thereof.

23. The combination of an ammunition wagon frame, an ammunition chest, for carrying ammunition of difierent lengths, affixed thereto, one or more diaphragms for supporting that part of the ammunition to the rear of the rifiing bands of the projectiles, fixed means for supporting projectiles of different lengths at the bourrelet thereof, and independently adjustable stop plates, each adapted to engage the points of a plurality of the projectiles to prevent forward movement thereof.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

LEIGHTON N. D. MIXSELL. CLAS J. JULSTEDT.

Witnesses:

NORA Gr. CASEY, R. T. REINSMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

sraasma 

